How I Met Your Mother: Every Season Finale Ranked Worst To Best
3. Come On (Season 1)
The sitcom's first season is basically a sharply written will-they-won't-they the genre has done a million times before, but its inventive narrative structure and the likability of its leads makes it all feel rather sweet and refreshing, as evidenced by its heartwarming finale.
Come On features two key developments, the biggest of which finds Ted finally realise that he's in love with Robin and he needs to tell her before it's too late. In order to do this, he teams up with a reluctant Barney to "make it rain" so her upcoming work trip is cancelled.
The way this doesn't slip into completely corny sap is a true testament to the show's writing and core stars, and seeing the couple finally admit their feelings for each other is pure bliss.
On the other side of the episode, things turn sour when Lily leaves Marshall so she can travel to San Francisco to pursue her dream of becoming a painter. The finale shifts gears from cute and rewarding to wrenching and sad in that instant, and blends its tone changes without fault to create a great first season cap-off.